600:0

City Code: 600:0

STREETS, SIDEWALKS, ALLEYS

Section 600 - Excavations and Backfill

Section 600:00. Openings in Streets. No opening shall be made in any street in this municipality without first having obtained a permit therefor from the Engineer on forms supplied by the Engineer. Permits to make openings in any street shall be issued only to licensed plumbers, public utilities companies or recognized public service agencies.

Section 600:05. Permit Fees and Application. The application for permission to open any street, lane or alley shall be accompanied by the fees in the amount duly established by the Council from time to time. Applicants for permits to open any street, lane or alley in said City shall also provide with the application a certificate of public liability insurance in an amount of at least $300,000 combined single limit, including completed operations and underground coverage.

Section 600:10. Backfill. Backfilling of all street openings shall be thoroughly compacted. Compaction of materials placed within the pipe bedding and encasement zones shall be accomplished with portable or hand equipment methods, so as to achieve thorough consolidation under and around the pipe and avoid damage to the pipe. Above the cover zone material, the use of heavy roller type compaction equipment shall be limited to safe pipe loading.

The maximum loose thickness of each backfill layer shall be eight (8) inches, except that twelve (12) inches will be permitted for granular materials placed above an elevation one (1) foot above the top of pipe, and with the provision that, by authority of the Engineer in consideration of the demonstrated capability of special type vibratory compactors, these maximums may be increased at his discretion.

All excess material resulting from the excavation, if any, shall be removed by the party obtaining the opening permit. The Engineer shall be notified immediately in writing upon completion of the backfilling and the City of Owatonna shall replace the street surfacing. The applicant for the street opening permit shall be responsible to the City of Owatonna for any subsequent settling of streets for openings which have not been adequately backfilled and compacted, and any and all expenses incurred by the City of Owatonna as a result thereof to remedy such settling shall be charged against such applicant in the following manner: The Engineer shall maintain an accurate cost analysis of the cost to the City for backfilling ditches settlings, which analysis shall show the location of each ditch and the applicant of the opening permit therefor.

Section 600:15. Winter Excavations. During the winter months, permits for excavation in any street, lane or alley will be granted on an emergency basis only, subject to the following conditions: All material resulting from the excavation shall be removed and backfilling shall be done with gravel or other material approved by the Engineer, which is entirely free of frozen material. No permits for new service will be granted after November 15 nor before March 1.

Section 600:20.

Section 600:20. Safety Precautions. It shall be unlawful for any person to excavate, dig or do any work whatsoever in any street, alley or other public way in the corporate limits of this municipality, which might or could interfere with the lawful use of such street, alley or public way, without providing the following minimum safety precautions:

(1) Place adequate barricades at least twenty-seven (27) inches high and not less than eight (8) feet long at each end of such street, alley or public way, together with "Road Closed" signs at each such barricade.

(2) Protect each ditch and excavation on each side in such street, alley or public way, with a similar type of barricade and by providing adequate lanterns or signal lights during all periods of darkness.

Section 600:25. Blocking Street. It shall be unlawful for any person to block or cause to be blocked one-half (1/2) or more of the usable width of any street, alley or public way in said City by reason of any digging, excavation or work in such street, alley or public way, without a validated permit. A validated permit shall be of the same form and shall require the same conditions as is provided in Section 476:35 and shall further require an accurate statement by the applicant thereof, of the time, date and hours such street, alley or public way will be blocked and shall be countersigned by the Fire Chief or his authorized representative. The holder of each validated permit shall notify the Fire Chief, or his representative, immediately upon such street being opened for travel in each case.